An Overture

Musings

After the Survey Corps are exonerated, Levi and Mikasa talk. Mild spoilers because it takes place after Chapter 61.

Rating: K

She should have been at least somewhat relieved by the liberating news of their exoneration and full pardon, yet there was an eternally tense, strained mass curling up against her choked heart. For more than three years, she was constantly accompanied by an unshakable general malaise and restlessness.

"The musings of a true philosopher."

Mikasa jolted at the low voice that punctuated the nighttime ambiance of a chilly wind interrupted by regular blinking chirps and the occasional deep throaty gulp of other moonlit creatures. His words were spoken tonelessly, but the twitch of his upper lip belied his intentions. He seemed to be in a much better mood now. She wished she could say the same.

The Captain slipped into the open space on the grass next to her, settling his arms upon his legs and resting his chin on folded hands. Her eyes moved to his bent leg, trying not to dwell on the injury she'd caused and averting her gaze as soon as his eyes swept towards her.

From a distance, one might mistake his position as relaxed, but her trained eye could recognize the tension clenched in each muscle in his body. She was somewhat surprised from his approach. Despite the marked improvement in their relationship of late, they were far from friendly, or at least not at a point where one of them could walk up to the other and start up a conversation without inhibitions.

"I thought you'd still be talking to Hanji."

Her eyebrows twitched in mild irritation from the uncharacteristic uncertainty in her tone and unintentional lilt that affected her voice toward the end.

"About what, our shared love of Titans and common suicidal tendencies?" He snorted.

Annoyed by the effect of his contentiousness on her already worsening mood, she turned her head away.

"Why aren't you enjoying yourself with the rest of the squad?"

"How can you expect me to celebrate when—" she trailed off, biting her lower lip.

"When what? You were worrying about Eren again?" He chided.

Mikasa especially disliked when the Captain spoke to her in that haughty tone, belittling her troubles and contorting them into something foolish and puerile.

She scoffed.

"Actually, I was trying not to think about Eren."

He shot her a knowing look, easily seeing past her weak disguise, but merely shrugged.

"Well that's too bad. I think I just reminded you. Although, now I'm quite concerned, as I'd depended on you helping Armin take care of those other brats."

"Jean, Sasha, and Connie?"

"Horseface, potato girl, and buzzcut. Who else is there?"

Though ostensibly innocuous, the implications of his words stung her. She was uncertain whether it had been deliberate or not. He had a way of dissecting anyone with the lash of a few words, and it seemed like a mechanical reflex, which certainly was no help to him in the charm department.

"When did you learn their nicknames?"

"It came to me on the spot."

"Did you think it was that obvious?"

She felt the corners of her lips tug upward, refreshed by the unusual lightness of their exchange, a significant departure from the morose atmosphere of their previous interactions.

"You didn't?" he gibed flatly, although a teasing smile had appeared, "I thought they were all rather obvious."

She expelled a breath of air that barely passed for a laugh, but quickly halted.

Catching onto the near laugh, Levi teased her, "So you really don't think Jean has a horseface?"

She turned the side of her head so he wouldn't see the small smile on her face.

"Ah, right. Eren was the one who gave him that nickname, wasn't he?"

In a moment, the color drained from her face.

"Does Eren know about your feelings for him?" He asked flippantly.

She choked on the air she breathed.

Disconcerted, she spluttered, "It's not like that."

"Is it?"

Not entirely trusting her voice yet, she opted not to remark.

"Why are you so talkative today anyway," she whispered half to herself.

"Tch, don't be stupid. You brats would know if you talked to me more often that I've always had a lot to say."

Her eyes sought his from beneath reticent lashes in simple surprise and curiosity, never anticipating that he would respond. Her eyes darted away when they met his sharp gray ones.

"Then maybe I don't talk to you enough."

Levi muttered quietly, "You don't talk enough to let your feelings known to anyone."

Despite his obvious attempt at redirecting the conversation back the earlier topic, his voice was a clear transition from hard to soft, from a cold statement to a gentle persuasion.

"Maybe you just have to look a little closer."

Just a quick one-shot as I descend into SNK withdrawal while waiting for the next chapter to be released. It's kind of a ramble. No particular theme. Worse, it didn't really help to distract me from my overwhelming RivaMika and SNK obsession for very long.

(There might be a few grammar mistakes. Sorry)

Please leave reviews. I'm also looking to write a few more one-shots since full length stories are too time consuming, so if you have a request or suggestion, feel free to let me know. Thanks